The effort, known as Operation Safe Passage, focuses on reducing speeding and other traffic violations near schools in hopes of preventing serious injuries and saving lives.
Fayetteville Police Chief Roberto Bryan Jr. said the initiative prioritizes visibility and collaboration among agencies to deter unsafe driving behaviors.
"We're just trying to slow folks down so that we can save lives on the streets of Fayetteville," Bryan said.
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Under the program, officers are positioned on both sides of school roadways using radar and light detection devices to monitor vehicle speeds. Bryan said the department is also deploying speed data trackers to identify problem areas and determine where enforcement is most needed.
"We have folks on opposite sides of the roads with radars or light radars, and they're able to detect the speed," Bryan said. "We also have these speed entries that we put out, and those are able to determine the data and give us the data to figure out if there is actually an issue there with the speeding."
So far, Fayetteville police have conducted 69 traffic stops during the operation. Of those, 45 drivers were cited for speeding, five were cited for not wearing seat belts, and seven were ticketed for driving with a revoked license.
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Bryan emphasized that prevention through visibility is a key component of the initiative.
"For us, the prevention part is just being visible," he said. "We're hoping that when the public sees our cars throughout the city, that that is enough prevention to slow folks down."
With staffing shortages affecting agencies countywide, Bryan said interagency cooperation is essential. Local departments are also working with Fort Bragg officials to address speeding along heavily traveled stretches of Interstate 95 and near school zones.
"We're all short-staffed, so when we are able to collaborate, we serve as force multipliers for each other," Bryan said. Those particular collaborations are taking place to stop, identify, and, if necessary, cite those individuals that are in violation or speeding in these school zones."
Bryan said Operation Safe Passage is still in its early stages and will continue as agencies build on partnerships to enhance traffic safety throughout Cumberland County.
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